Home for Christmas
by Fenella Church
Summary: Short,slushy and sentimental one-shot. Merry Christmas everyone :)


My little christmas offering- Happy Christmas everyone x

Home for Christmas

'It's a representation of divine male essence according to Wikipedia' Alex told Gene.

'Wiki ooo?' Gene frowned. 'What is?'

They were watching Chris hopefully placing a piece of Mistletoe high above Shaz's desk.

'Mistletoe.' Alex said brightly, 'Pliny the elder...'

'Pliny ooo?' Gene cut in, knocking back a festive scotch, his eyes as twinkly and shiny as the baubles on Fenchurch East's white nylon christmas tree. 'God woman, you are a mine of useless information- and why are you dressed like you're going to an interview with Messrs Dull, Tedious and Boring Solicitors ?' he gazed with marked disapproval at her grey trouser suit. 'Hardly in keeping with the season is it?'

'I have an appointment.' Alex said mysteriously.

'On Christmas Eve?'Gene asked, 'You know we're having a little party don't you?'

Alex studied herself in a hand mirror and tried to liven up her hair with an afro pick before scrabbling for her lipstick, 'I didn't think I'd be missed.'

'Well I wouldn't miss you personally but the others might think it's a bit off.' Gene said, deriving inexplicable pleasure from watching her apply her lipstick.

Alex smacked her lips together and chucked the lipstick in her drawer along with the afro pick and the mirror, 'If I get back in time I'll try and put in an appearance, is it at Luigi's?'

Gene nodded, 'Will you be changing into something more partyfied? Low cut and sparkly?'

'I can't promise anything.' Alex replied, putting on her coat, 'Save me a sausage on a stick, see you later.'

'Have fun' Gene said, watching her go. He had half a mind to follow her but knew that was straying into stalker territory, and poured himself another scotch instead.

.

It was dark in the street apart from the brightly lit shops. Alex hurried, dodging last minute Christmas shoppers until she left the busy part of town for the seedy back streets. She was in a part of London so old it appeared almost Dickensian, and the stars in the sky above her were brighter than she'd ever seen. The tap bar of The Blue Coat Boy public house was dimly lit and almost empty. Alex stepped inside and waited at the bar to be served.

'I have wine.' a hidden voice floated from one of the high wooden settles at the rear of the bar, 'Come and sit down Alex.'

Alex followed the voice and sat down opposite the elderly woman. 'Thank you for seeing me.' she said breathlessly.

'I charge double at Christmas, plus you owe for the wine.' the woman smiled toothily, pouring plummy red wine into a glass and pushing it towards Alex. 'Give me your hand.'

Alex let the woman hold her rather cold hand for a few seconds. There was a lot of noise from the other bar, she was aware of Slade belting out Merry Christmas Everybody, but it all seemed very echoey and distant, Alex felt herself drifting as the woman clutched her hand. In her old life she had been very sceptical of mediums, but she was desperate and missing Molly so much.

The woman, known to Alex only as Trina, dropped her hand and shook her head. 'You're a long way from home.'

Alex nodded, it didn't mean anything, lots of people were far from home at Christmas.

'Not forgotten though.' Trina said gently, 'Your daughter has wrapped a gift for you and put it under the tree, beside a snowman with no nose.'

'That's old Ned!' Alex exclaimed. 'He's been around forever, my mother made him.I kept meaning to give him a new nose.'

Trina gazed at Alex's hopeful earnest face and her leathered heart softened. There was no point in spoiling this poor woman's Christmas by telling her she'd never open the gift under the tree. She found the whole reading unsettling and uncomfortable. From the moment Alex Drake had entered the pub Trina had seen she was surrounded by stars, and that only meant one thing, she was in the process of shaking off her mortal coil.

'Will I get to open the present?' Alex asked.

'Maybe not this year.' Trina said, 'but never say never.'

'And Molly-my daughter- is ok?' Alex asked.

Trina nodded, 'Molly is safe. Is there anything else?'

'If you could advise me on what I have to do to get out of here?' Alex said.

'Come to terms with it.' Trina said, 'and you will find yourself moving on. The tall man with the blond hair is here to help you.'

'Gene?' Alex frowned.

'Trust him.' Trina said, 'He looks after you, cares for you.' she opened her palm, 'Time's up, maybe I won't charge double if you pay for the wine.'

Alex pushed a couple of twenty pound notes at Trina, 'Thank you. Merry Christmas.'

'Merry Christmas.' Trina smiled.

.

Alex knew the party was in full swing because Luigi was crying and playing increasingly sentimental songs. She realised that she wasn't the only one far from home at Christmas.

_I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me _ sang Bing Crosby as she walked to the bar where Gene was fiercely guarding the sausage on stick hedgehog.

'There you go.' he pushed the hedgehog towards her and looked her up and down appreciatively. 'Mother Christmas I presume?'

She had changed in to a figure hugging scarlet dress with matching heels. 'Thank you!' she smiled and took a sausage.

_Please have the snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree _ Bing crooned.

'There you go Guv' yelled Shaz, smooching up with Chris, 'You lost, I can't wait for this.'

'For what?' Alex asked.

'The Guv said you wouldn't show.' shouted Shaz, 'We 'ad a bet that if you did he'd 'ave to dance with you. He agreed.'

Gene looked mortified, 'Gene Hunt does not dance.' he mumbled.

'Oh come on Guv- it's Christmas!' Alex laughed, pulling him from the bar.

She felt quite overcome as his strong arms went round her and their bodies were suddenly closer together than they'd ever been. He felt so good, so strong, so safe.

'Don't you take advantage now Bolls.' he warned, as his hand stroked her back.

'As if' she smiled up at him, aware how close their mouths were, she turned her head to look for mistletoe but there wasn't any.

'How did the appointment go?' he asked.

'Very well.' she nodded.

'You look happy.' he said.

'I feel more optimistic.' she said, 'What are you doing tomorrow?'

'Warming up a turkey leg Luigi put aside for me.' Gene replied.

'Would you like to spend Christmas Day with me?' she asked. 'Share the turkey leg? I could jazz it up a bit.'

'Don't mind if I do.' Gene said, as they slow danced across Luigi's, he looked up, 'Oh look, divine male essence.' he reached out, pulled a sprig of Mistletoe from one of Luigi's arrangements and held it aloft.

Alex knew that everyone at the party was watching them kiss but somehow didn't find it off-putting. When they broke apart everyone clapped and cheered.

'Merry Christmas' she whispered.

'Merry Christmas.' he replied.

.

_Christmas Eve will find me_

_Where the love-light gleams_

_I'll be home for Christmas_

_If only in my dreams._


End file.
